EDEN PRAIRIE, Minn. - Ben Leber admits facing Kyle Orton tonight will force the Minnesota Vikings defense to deal with the unknown to a large extent.

Orton hasn't taken a meaningful snap as a Bears quarterback since Jan. 1, 2006, when Chicago finished the 2005 regular season against the Vikings at the Metrodome. That game, which also was Mike Tice's swan song as Vikings coach, marked Orton's 15th start of the season. But in Chicago's 33 regular-season or playoff games since, either Rex Grossman or Brian Griese has been under center.

"I think it's tough because it brings that realm of unpredictableness," said Leber, in his second year as a Vikings linebacker. "I think with Grossman or Griese in there you have tape, you can understand how (they) are trying to attack defenses. With Orton we don't know.

"They may come out and still try to run the football because that's their personality, or they may say, 'Hey, Orton is the best when we get him in the shotgun and he can sit there and throw the quick balls like he did at Purdue and throw the ball down the field.' We have to be ready for that. I think the first quarter and a half is going to be kind of a feeling out period."

Bears coach Lovie Smith, whose team is 5-8 and going nowhere after making a run to the Super Bowl last season, said last Monday that Orton would be his starter for this game because he "gives us the best chance to win, period." Grossman is sidelined because of a knee sprain suffered Dec. 6 against Washington. Griese, 3-3 in six starts this season, was passed over.

Asked about his decision, Smith said: "It's not a reflection on Brian. It's just a compliment to Kyle."

And an admission that the Bears need to start looking to the 2008 season to see what Orton can do.

A three-year starter at Purdue before being taken in the fourth round of the 2005 draft, Orton had a 10-5 record as a rookie, getting a chance to start because Grossman broke his ankle in the preseason and ineffective veteran Chad Hutchinson was released. Despite his record, Orton only completed 190 of 368 passes for 1,869 yards with nine touchdowns and 13 interceptions, a lowly 59.7 rating. He beat the Vikings in his first game against them that season in October, throwing for a season-high two touchdowns but only 117 yards in 28-3 victory at Soldier Field.

The Bears lost 34-10 at the Metrodome in Orton's last start, but that was in part because Chicago didn't really try. Orton had lost the starting job to a healthy Grossman by that point, and the only reason Orton started was because the Bears had earned a first-round bye in the postseason and rested several starters.

"I wanted the chance for a long time, I don't think anybody should be judged on their rookie year," Orton said of his return. "I think I can quarterback this team to a lot of points and play very effectively."

Bears offensive coordinator Ron Turner is among those interested to see if that is truly the case.

"He hasn't played for two years, so obviously he has got to get back into the flow of it and get the rhythm and all that stuff going," Turner said. "I do expect him to play a lot better than how he played just because he's a different player right now, he's much more mature.

"Physically, he's different. Mentally, he's different. He knows the system so much better. He's going to go out and play well."

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